Strategic Plan

We are passionate about the potential of the nonprofit sector to improve the quality of life for all.
We strive to improve nonprofit success and sustainability through effective governance
consulting. Our consulting focuses on the Board of Directors’ fiduciary responsibilities, achieving
both the organization’s purpose and ensuring the organization’s viability. Our consulting services
are tailored to each nonprofit’s stage of growth and include:

• Mission, Vision, and Strategic Plan
  Review as organization changes
  Organization formation assistance
  By Law preparation
  Federal and State reporting requirements
• Board Formation and Recruitment
  Identification of needed Board skills
  Conflict of Interest/Pledge statements
  Orientation for new Board members
  Understanding fiduciary responsibilities
  Term limits
• Board Committee Formation
  Development of Committee charters
  Committees needed formed at stages of maturity
  Getting committees to work
• Board and Organization Finance Processes
  Financial statement presentations
  Financial forecast accuracy
  Setting limits for staff expense authority
  Independent review of annual financial statement
• Board Evaluation
  Gauging Board engagement
  Questions for Board to self-evaluate
  Board communication and decision making
  Effectiveness of Board committees
• Board Officer and Committee Rotation
  Develop knowledge of functions of each officer
  Prepare for succession of Committee Chairs
• Board/Staff Relations
  Roles of Board and Staff
  CEO/ED Evaluation

WE CAN HELP

Typical nonprofits start with the passion of an individual who finds a few people willing to help
and fund. These people work as a team and roles are often unclear. All for one and one for all.
Growth happens…. then the wonderful problems and opportunities of growth occur:

• How to handle situations when a founder desires to stay or leave
• Defining the role/authority of the board and the ED/CEO
• Growth requires new board and organizational structures, including
  by-laws, term limits and more. Current leadership does not appreciate/understand the
  need for more structure.
• Term limits and by-law updates to reflect growth and change
• Board recruitment. Skills and diversity needed. How to go about that?
• Board does not appear engaged. What does engaged mean? How to increase
  engagement?
• Committees? How to create and empower them to make them work?
• Staff formation, hiring and firing. What is the role of the board if any?
• Board has matured and stagnated. How to revitalize?

Neil Diver | Co-Founder

Neil Diver is experienced in corporate governance, financial administration, and entrepreneurial value creation. This varied background has given him excellent perspective into the importance of governance to ensure nonprofit success. He has served as a director of seven public companies and seven closely held companies and has 85 years of cumulative service on audit committees. Neil has founded or co-founded eight companies involving real estate development, biotechnology, and finance. He authored four publications for periodicals including two on board governance. He has also 20 years of experience serving on not-for-profit boards relating to Health Care, Education, and Maritime Training. In addition, he has founded a not-for-profit education organization for which he was awarded Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst & Young. Neil was CFO of Ticor, a diversified financial services company listed on the NYSE until its acquisition, and was previously a co-founder of Ticor Mortgage Insurance, which became the
second largest insurer in its industry within five years. He originated the first-single family and multi-family residential mortgage-backed securities and introduced the rating of mortgage pools by Standard & Poors. He was trusted to administer or advise complex companies and trusts with multiple beneficiaries, illiquid assets, or challenging litigation, and is familiar with numerous industries. Neil is a magna cum laude graduate of Indiana University with a BS degree in Accounting and Finance and an MBA in Management. He has attended executive courses at Harvard Business
School and New York University School of Law

Katherine (Kit) Williams

Kit began her career as an investment banker at Citibank and then moved to First Pennsylvania and Fidelity where she led Commercial Lending. After fifteen years as a senior executive in financial services, she has been an entrepreneur, a principal in a well-regarded coaching and career development firm, and a Harvard Business School-based consultant. She has also been head of Global Leadership Development for Genzyme where she was recognized for building leadership strength around the world. She has coached Fortune 500 CEOs especially those new in the role, as well as many CFOs, CIOs, and Chief Legal Officers. Since the sale of her consulting firm, she provides coaching to aspiring entrepreneurs and
non-profit leaders, with a focus on partnerships with Boards of Directors and investors. Kit has an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and an undergraduate degree in Philosophy from Rosemont College. She considers herself a global
citizen having lived in numerous spots around the world. She speaks English and French fluently and gets by in Italian and German. She is the Past President of the Old North Corporation and the National Adoption Center and serves on several non-profit boards
including the SSV Oliver Hazard Perry and Veterans Legal Services. Kit lives in Weston with her husband Neil. She is particularly fond of choral and early music and believes greater Boston is the center of the universe.

Please see below for our 2024 Strategic Plan